


It's My Turn Now

by Kaito_Dragneel



Series: Paranormal Domino [7]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fives misses his brothers, Fives will protect Torrent, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Rex is a sad boi, ghost!fives, he needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23870302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaito_Dragneel/pseuds/Kaito_Dragneel
Summary: It started with small things. Troopers getting chills up their spines during the night, the feeling as if they were being watched sometimes, phantom hands on people’s shoulders and backs when they broke down. As the months went by the actions became bigger. A droid was startled by a rock, drawing them away from hiding troopers; medics being pulled to troopers who would have died if they hadn’t found them, things floating every once in a while, and the lights flickering.
Relationships: CT-27-5555 | Fives | ARC-5555 & CT-7567 | Rex
Series: Paranormal Domino [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1715857
Comments: 6
Kudos: 280
Collections: Captain Rex Stuff





	It's My Turn Now

Torrent was being haunted, and every trooper knew it. It started with small things. Troopers getting chills up their spines during the night, the feeling as if they were being watched sometimes, phantom hands on people’s shoulders and backs when they broke down. As the months went by the actions became bigger. A droid was startled by a rock, drawing them away from hiding troopers; medics being pulled to troopers who would have died if they hadn’t found them, things floating every once in a while, and the lights flickering. The Jedi called their ghosts “Force Ghosts”, the souls and essences of a deceased Force-sensitive who denied the will of the Force upon death. Yet, they were able to interact with the living. There were those who committed a final act of selflessness that led to their death and have come to terms with it that ended up being a force ghost as well. However, _this_ ghost was not one of those. This ghost was no force sensitive and was obsessed with Torrent.

General Skywalker had once tried to communicate with it, using a very old EVP device in hopes of hearing its voice, but he had only been met with scared flickering lights. The lights weren’t even flickering in any _pattern_! Jesse had been the next one to try and communicate; he had been met with fondness, warm whispers that he couldn’t understand, and a blanket of cold around him. He had described it as a cold hug, like there were arms wrapped around his middle, but they were _barely_ touching him. A few shinies tried next; they _swore_ that they had seen the lights flicker in morse code and the sound of a _brother’s_ laugh. Kix tried after that; he had been met with the same fondness that Jesse had, but there was a hint of _sadness_ to it. Kix had said that the ghost seemed to _cry_ almost, the sound a whisper over the EVP. A few more shinies tried to communicate after that, but no one ever got a real voice out of the ghost or an identity.

Rex was the last one to try and communicate. He had taken the EVP to his quarters, fixed himself a cup of caf and sat at his desk, staring the device. It had been a month since he had held Fives in his arms as his ARC Trooper died. A month of hearing Fives’ last words replaying in his mind, a month of seeing the pained panic in Fives’ eyes every time he tried to sleep, a month of feeling guilty and alone. Echo and Fives had been two of his closest brothers, his vod’ika. He had trained them, took them under his wing, and now they were _gone_. He was still grieving their loss, which was why he had wanted nothing to do with the ghost that Torrent had acquired, but… if the ghost was so _fond_ of Jesse and Kix then he needed to know _why_. He _needed_ to protect his men, even if he had to do so from a strange ghost. So, Rex stared… and stared… and stared, waiting for something to happen. Waiting for a voice, a wave of cold, flickering lights, _anything_.

“I don’t have all day, trooper,” Rex muttered, sipping on his cup of caf. It was a lie, but the ghost didn’t need to know that. Rex had all day and probably a little bit of the next day until he had to do something. “C’mon, do something already.”

The lights flickered softly and there was a soft knocking noise. It made Rex stiffen on instinct. He _knew_ that pattern. He knew it because it was a simple pattern that troopers used to say, “I’m here”. The ghost seemed… hesitant almost. It wasn’t afraid like it had been around General Skywalker, but it was keeping its’ distance. Why? What _threat_ did Rex pose to it?

“Come closer, vod. I won’t hurt you. I’m not mad at you,” Rex assured softly, setting his cup down. Maybe drawing it into a false sense of security would get him more information. The pattern was commonly used. It could be some trick to get at his troopers. “It’s alright, trooper.”

_Tap tap tap tap_. “Yes, sir.” Rex stiffened further, the sound was coming from the EVP but he knew that the device was picking up the noise from his desk. The Captain shivered lightly, cold washing over his spine, phantom hands settling over his shoulders. They were a brother’s hands. He didn’t need them to touch him completely to know that. This wasn’t a threat. This ghost was a Torrent trooper who didn’t go marching into Manda’s Halls for some reason. This was one of his own.

“Talk to me, vod. How can I help? What do you need,” Rex asked quietly, his hand twitching up to his shoulder to grab the hands that weren’t really there.

_Tap tap tap tip tap tip tip tap_. “You already have helped, ori’vod. You listened to me.” Rex froze up as he digested the words that were tapped on to his shoulder. He swallowed heavily as tears threatened to pool in his eyes. Only _two_ people had _ever_ called him ori’vod out loud, and only _one_ of them had died recently. Fives. _Oh_ , _Fives_.

“Fiv’ika, I-”

_Tap tap tap tip tip tap tap tip tap tap tip tip tap tap_. “I’m alright, ori’vod. You did _not_ fail me. You listened to me and you protected me.” Rex choked on his next words, a hand coming up to cup his mouth to stop the noise of pain from leaving him. Guilt gnawed at his stomach as the tapping resumed. _Tap tap tip tip tip tap tap tap_. “You watched over me for years. Not it’s my turn.” Oh, Fiv’ika. Rex laughed brokenly as he leaned back into his chair, a pained smile on his face.

Fives was still dead, but… at least his trooper was still around. Even if it was just as a ghost.


End file.
